WE HAVE INCREASED OUR SERVICES TO OUR CLIENTS IN THE AREAS OF CRIMINAL, REAL ESTATE, WILLS, TRUSTS AND MATRIMONIAL LAW.

SETTLEMENT OF $ 875,000 FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKER WHO TRIPS AND FALLS OVER ELECTRICAL CABLE

A settlement of $875,000 was negotiated on behalf of our client who was injured as a result of a construction accident when he fell over an electrical cable during the course of his employment.

MAN COLLECTS FOR HIT IN THE REAR AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT

Our client collects $850,000 for injuries sustained when he is hit in the rear while stopped at a traffic light.

VERDICT: $665,000 AGAINST THE CITY OF NEW YORK FOR FAILING TO REPLACE DOWNED STOP SIGN RESULTING IN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT

A $665,000 jury verdict was obtained for our client who was injured in an automobile accident due to the City of New York's negligence in failing to replace a downed stop sign.

JUVENILE CORRECTION OFFICER AWARDED $150,000 FOR RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AND HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT

At a Pre-Trial Conference at the State Division of Human Rights the City of New York agreed to pay our client $150,000 for ethnic and racial slurs resulting in a hostile work environment.

All of our clients should be aware of the basic types of auto insurance coverage available, so that you can make an intelligent choice when purchasing your policies. Many of you purchase insurance through a broker and are only interested in the cheapest coverage available. This is understandable, but you must be aware of the consequences. Brokers often fail to mention important coverage that you all should have. The following is for your information:

Liability Coverage-this is the portion of your policy which covers you if you are in an accident which is your fault. The insurance company provides a lawyer to defend you if your are sued. The minimum requirement to operate a car in New York is $25,000 per person injured with a maximum of $50,000 per accident. This is known as 25/50 coverage. ADVICE: If you have any assets to protect, you should increase this coverage to at least 100/300, otherwise any injuries you cause in an accident in excess of the minimum coverage will expose you to personal liability.

No-Fault Coverage-(also known as Personal Injury Protection)-this is the portion of your policy which provides coverage for you and your car's passengers for medical bills and lost wages suffered due to an auto accident. As the name implies, this coverage is automatic without regard to fault for the accident. The minimum required coverage is $50,000. ADVICE: Your may want to increase this coverage to $100,000. If you or one of your passengers is seriously injured $50,000 will not be enough to pay your medical bills and lost wages while you recover.

Uninsured and Underinsured Coverage-Uninsured motorist coverage is very important!! If you are injured by an uninsured vehicle, hit and run vehicle or a stolen vehicle, you can collect money from your own insurance company through this coverage. This coverage is usually the same as your liability coverage. It is automatically 25/50 unless you pay for higher limits. Underinsured coverage is equally important. Most insurance policies have the same amount of coverage for uninsured and underinsured unless it shows separately. Underinsured coverage can come into play only if you have more than the minimum liability coverage of 25/50. ADVICE: Increase your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage to a minimum of 100/300.

Example of Underinsured coverage: You have 100/300 liability coverage and 100/300 underinsured coverage. Another car hits you and you are injured. Your injuries are worth $100,000. The other car is driving with the minimum 25/50 liability coverage. You can collect the $25,000 from the other car and another $75,000 from your own (for a total of $100,000) insurance company because you have the underinsured coverage. The reason is, the other car is underinsured compared to you. She has 25/50 liability coverage and you have 100/300.

Comprehnsive/collision coverage-this coverage is the one that can really increase your insurance bill. This is the coverage that pays you for damage to your car or if it is stolen. Most people with older cars don't bother to purchase this coverage since it can be very expensive within New York City or other high crime areas. ADVICE: If your car is worth under $5,000, you may not wish to purchase this coverage. However, if you are in an accident caused by someone else, you will have to fight with the other car's insurance company to get your car repaired.

Supplemental Spousal Liability Insurance(SSL)-SSL is an optional coverage that when purchased, is included as part of your Bodily Injury Liability coverage. This coverage allows an injured spouse to recover against the insured spouse if negligent conduct can be shown. ADVICE: For a nominal charge, you should purchase this coverage for situations in which your spouse/driver's negligent conduct is a cause of an accident in which you are injured.

You will find that increasing the above coverages as recommended will greatly increase the protection you provide for your family and yourself. These increases will not raise your insurance premiums as much as you might think. Ask your insurance company or broker for quotes.